Life After Death
by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: SPR takes on a difficult case where they learn that all families have a deadly secret that they try to keep quiet. Mai becomes closer to a certain monk, while they attempt to figure out why a dark entity is haunting a seemingly innocent man and his lover. Naru finally gets told off for his arrogance, and the truth about Bou-san's past finally comes out. All isn't as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**Yo. So once again, a Ghost Hunt fic, but this time, a different pairing. This is my first Bou-sanxMai fic, so it may not be perfect. Hope you guys like it anyway. This chapter's mainly intro, so you'll have to be patient.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...**

"Mai, tea!" The boss man's voice sounded alongside the first roll of thunder, and the grey skies flashed as his young assistant sighed.

Mai did not call back, but got to her feet and headed into the kitchen alcove. Hoping the storm wasn't going to get too bad, because admit it or not, she was rather afraid of thunderstorms, she quickly made some tea. Just as she always did, Mai handed Lin his tea first, before knocking on Naru's office door.

"Come in." He sounded rather annoyed, which didn't make things any better for Mai.

Managing to get the door open, Mai nudged her way in. She found her twenty year old boss seated behind his desk, hunched over and working, something she had once found both exasperating and cute, but now merely found exasperating. She had since given up on asking him when he slept.

She placed the cup down and was just about to turn away, when Naru glanced up. "Call up the team. We have a case." And with that he silently dismissed her and refocused on whatever he had just been working on.

Stifling a sigh, Mai left the room and headed back to her own desk in the main lounge. She sat down and picked up the phone, trying to ignore the thunder outside the window. She called Bou-san first, which was actually what she always did.

_"Mmm hmm?"_

Mai laughed lightly. "Bou-san, you're still in bed? It's the middle of the day!"

The monk let out a groan. _"Was up late," _he replied, his voice slurred with sleep. _"Had a late rehearsal and I didn't manage to get to bed until eight this morning."_

The girl frowned. As a nineteen year old university student with a job at SPR, Mai knew all about lack of sleep. It sucked. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but Naru wanted me to call everyone up. He says we've got a case." She heard a shuffling, followed by a grunt, signalling that Bou-san was moving around on his bed.

_"A case, huh? Been a while. The usual time?"_

"Hai. He didn't say anything, so I'm assuming it's the normal time."

_"Probably. Alright, I'll see you tomorrow morning then, Mai-chan."_

"Un. Try and get some sleep. Oh! And don't forget to eat, okay?"

Bou-san chuckled, clearly amused. _"Yes, mum. Later, Mai."_

"Bye!" Disconnecting from the monk, Mai then called the others to inform them about the case too. When that was done, she leaned back in her chair and stared out the rain slicked window. She flinched as lightning flashed, then with yet anther sigh, returned to Naru's office to inform him as to who in the group would be joining them during their new case...

Bou-san meanwhile, did not go back to sleep as he had said he'd do. He rolled over onto his back, resting a forearm over his eyes as he fell into thought. He knew that no one would have found his conversation with Mai to be strange at all, but they would have been wrong. Though the girl had sounded cheerful enough, Bou-san knew she was far from. For the past couple of years now, Mai had been quite sad. And her sadness was something only he seemed to be aware of.

About two years ago, they had found out about Naru being Oliver Davis. They learned about his twin brother Eugene Davis, and how, where, and when he had died. They had also found out that Mai's 'Dream Naru' was actually Gene. With Naru planning on returning to England with Lin and Gene's body, Mai wanted him to know how she felt about him before he left.

She had confessed to him, only to have Naru blow her off by saying that she was in love with his dead twin and not him. And then he was gone. Mai had taken that blow rather hard and had spent a long time thinking hard about who exactly it was that she loved. She had come to the conclusion that even though he could be an arrogant bastard, it _was_ Naru that she had feelings for.

Somehow knowing that Naru would return to Japan, Mai had spent the rest of the time studying her ass off. She remembered every time Naru had insulted her intelligence, and she worked so hard to make herself smarter. She had finished high school, passing every class, including English with flying colours, and had even entered a good university.

Naru had come back a few months ago, and that was when all of them, not just Mai, though especially Mai, had received a bit of a shock. Naru was no longer single. No, in the time he had been in Britain, he had, at some point, hooked up with none other than Hara Masako. And to make matters worse, her arrogance had rubbed off on him, making him even _more_ arrogant than before, which was really rather unfortunate.

Bou-san knew that Naru's having Masako as a girlfriend had really hurt Mai. She had worked so hard to, well, prove to him that she wasn't just a childish fool, and now...

It was actually a little strange, thought the monk. Even at nineteen, Masako pretty much still looked the same as she had at sixteen. Hell, she'd barely even grown. Mai on the other hand, was at least three or four inches taller, had allowed her hair to grow down to her shoulders, and had uh...filled up nicely. Mai's body clearly showed that she was no longer a child, a thought that haunted Bou-san more than he liked to admit.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly. _You have to stop thinking about her like that. She's like your little sister, isn't she? You can't think about your sister that way. _That was what he always forced himself to think when Mai began to appear in his mind in a less than innocent manner.

_You idiot. You only say you see her as a sister so you don't have to face the truth. You're attracted to her, aren't you? Attracted to her in a way that isn't brotherly at all. In a way that isn't innocent at all. I know how you think of her, how you dream of her. Mai's smile, her laugh, her curves. _His mind, unfortunately, had learned to talk back to him, as odd as that sounded.

"God dammit!" Furious with himself, Bou-san grabbed the closest book, flipped to a random page, and began to read, desperate for a distraction. He had to, absolutely _had_ to stop thinking this way. Mai would probably kill him if she ever found out, and he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship for anything.

But what Bou-san didn't know, was that Mai had some confusing, but less than innocent feelings for him too...

**And that's it for now. I've got another four chapters written up in my notebook, so those'll be up once I've got time to type and edit them. I hope this first chapter was alright. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo. So here's the second chapter of the five that I currently have written down. I'm glad you all liked the first chapter. I was a tad worried, to be honest. Thanks to all readers so far, and an extra thanks to those who reviewed.**

**Just a little warning that I forgot to put before. There will be mentions of child abuse in this fic, both physical and sexual. Nothing graphic, but I still wanted to say it for those who are uncomfortable with it, or for those in which it may trigger bad memories. There's nothing in this chapter though. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...**

It was drizzling when the team met up outside SPR at six the next morning. The black SPR van and Bou-san's car were parked out front, packed with equipment and suitcases. Naru and Lin got into the van, while Bou-san, Ayako, John and Mai packed into the monk's car. Yasuhara was rather busy at the moment, and likely wouldn't be joining them until later, while Masako wasn't coming with them at all. Naru wasn't too pleased with that.

Though Mai normally would have situated herself in the car, she had stopped doing so. It wasn't worth the torture. So instead, she settled herself next to Ayako in the back seat of the car, joining in on the rather inappropriate conversations that were taking place. They _were_ dimming them down a little for John though, just to be polite. They knew it was wrong for him, being a priest and all.

"So, uh, who's the client in this case? What's the deal?" asked Bou-san, turning left and following the van.

"I have no idea," replied Mai with a shrug. "Naru didn't say." She frowned slightly. "He...doesn't say much to me any more anyway." Then she caught the sight of their stricken faces. "Sorry, sorry, I'm good."

Deciding it would be better to change the subject, Ayako then told them a hilarious story about something that had happened at the hospital the other day, and when Mai began laughing hysterically, she smiled. She'd made a good choice. Remembering another story, she recounted that one as well, pleased at how she had managed to distract Mai.

The drizzling soon turned into a pounding rain as another storm cell rolled through the area. It was going to be a very hot summer that year according to the meteorologists, which meant that there was going to be a lot of storms like this...much to Mai's displeasure.

With their location being rather far, they decided to switch drivers at the half way point. That as when Bou-san and Ayako exchanged places. The miko got into the driver's seat, and the monk got in next to Mai, who smiled at him as he settled in. He nudged her, only to have her nudge back with a laugh.

The four in the car chatted and laughed as Ayako followed the van leading the way in front of them. The rain alternated between pouring and drizzling, as if it were unsure about what it wanted to do. The darkened skies, the soft chatter, and the sway of the car soon lulled Mai into sleep.

Nobody noticed that their young friend had fallen asleep. Not until her head dropped onto Bou-san's shoulder. The man looked down at her, finally noticing her state of unconsciousness, and with a small smile, gently brushed her hair away from her face. He looked away before he became too tempted to so something else, and instead, focused his gaze outside the window.

More time passed and Bou-san found himself getting increasingly tired. John and Ayako had kept up a steady conversation, but the monk found he was too sleepy to join in. Or maybe he was just too distracted. Mai had sort of cuddled into him in her sleep, and one of her hands was now resting on his thigh. Bou-san didn't want to move her, because he didn't want to disturb her...or so he was telling himself.

"Finally!" exclaimed Ayako suddenly, bringing the car to a stop behind the van. "I guess this is it. They're getting out. Come on."

Ayako and John got out of the car, followed by Bou-san and Mai, once the former had awoken the latter. Having been cooped up in the car for so long, the first thing Mai did was stretch. Bou-san happened to glance over at that moment, only to see that in the midst of her stretch, Mai's shirt had risen up, exposing her pale, smooth navel. He looked away immediately before temptation struck in.

Furious at himself for the way his fingers were itching to touch that soft skin, he settled with nudging her instead. "Look," he said, nodding towards the house.

"Hm?" Mai looked over and her body went slack, her jaw dropping. "...Is that a house or a castle...?"

"I have no idea," replied Bou-san honestly. He was pleased to see that it wasn't just him and Mai who were surprised with the size of the...house. John and Ayako were openly staring and even Naru and Lin seemed faintly surprised.

The group approached the massive house, taking in the green garden around them. There were large trees bearing fruits, and beautiful lovely smelling, colourful flowers. The walk leading up to the front doors was made of old grey stone, and the house itself looked as if it were made of the same material, even though it really wasn't.

Naru was the first to reach the large front doors, and he rang the bell, his face expressionless. They didn't have to wait long. The door_s_ were opened almost immediately by a man in a simple black suit. He topped off at about six foot, had dark brown hair that was swept back away from his face, and sharp green eyes that seemed to be appraising them. He was obviously not from Japan, a fact proven when he spoke.

"Good afternoon," he greeted in a voice that clearly said he was an Englishman. He gave them a small bow. "Please, come in." He took a step back and waited patiently as the group filed into the rather long hallway.

The hall opened up into a large almost lobby like room, but the man didn't stop there. He took them through a door on the other end, followed by another, and then another. Mai, walking beside John, was already unsure of how to get back to the entrance.

The green eyed man led them through yet another door, into a rather comfortable looking room. "The parlour," he announced. "Please, have a seat. Mr Cross has been delayed and is on his way back as we speak. Shall I perhaps bring you something to drink while you wait?"

"Thank you, Mr-?"

"Michael," replied the man. "Simply Michael." He bowed. "Tea and coffee, then?" At their nods, he added, "Very well," and departed, leaving the team alone in the room...

**And that's it for now. I have a really bad migraine at the moment, so I apologize if this chapter's on the dull side. The next one will have the client's statement, so that's when you'll find out what's going on and why the team's here in the first place. I'm going to stop typing before my head explodes, so looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo. I know I could have put this up forever ago, but I was swamped with school crap and never got around to do it. Anyway, thanks to all readers so far, and an extra thanks to anyone who reviewed. This chapter's like, a page longer than usual, so I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...**

From his seat next to Mai, Bou-san let out a long, low whistle. Mai gave him a nudge, but stifled a giggle. Everyone was sort of just looking around the room, trying to get their bearings and take it all in at the same time.

The room was on the darker side, painted in burgundy with large furniture that matched. The window were closed because of the weather, but the curtains had been pulled back to reveal rain slicked glass.

"This place is huge!" exclaimed Mai after a moment. "It looks bigger than that Urado mansion. ...I hope it isn't built the same way."

John, who was sitting next to Ayako, shook his head. "I doubt it," he said. "The only other place like that is the Winchester place in America. This...house may be big, but I highly doubt it was built in the same manner."

The girl nodded once. "Thank god for that. That place was messed up."

"Hey, Naru, who _is_ the client? It's gotta be someone pretty loaded if they live here," said Ayako.

At first, Naru didn't answer, and they figured he wasn't going to bother telling them. Then, "Isaiah Cross."

There was a silence until the monk gave another whistle. "Damn, didn't see _that_ coming."

Mai on the other hand, frowned. "Who's Isaiah Cross?" she asked.

"You've heard of him, Mai," replied the miko.

"I have?"

"Yes," agreed the priest.

"He's the guy who owns half the shit in the world," added Bou-san.

There was a deep chuckle, followed by a smooth voice, belonging to an Englishman. "I would not say _half_ the world, but a good chunk of it, yes."

Everyone looked round as one. Standing in the doorway opposite from the one they had come through was a man. He was tall and rather lean at six foot seven, had Malfoy blond (bleached or platinum) hair that fell down his back, a pair of crystal blue eyes, and looked to be around twenty seven years old. He was dressed in a suit, but had the jacket draped over his arm, leaving him in a crisp, blue shirt.

He approached them and shook hands with all of them, before sitting down in the remaining armchair. "I apologize for making you wait," said Isaiah, "but it was a last minute meeting and one I needed to attend in person."

"That's alright," said Naru, "we were not waiting long."

"Is that so? Well, I thank you nonetheless." He paused when the butler returned and began to hand out the tea and coffee. How he knew who preferred what, they didn't know. Noting their surprise, Isaiah smiled. "Michael is very efficient," was all he said in way of explanation.

When Michael left the room, the blond man continued. "Now, you already know the gist of what I have been experiencing, Mr Davis, but allow me to explain in more detail."

The others were rather surprised at the fact that Isaiah knew that Kazuya Shibuya was actually Oliver Davis, but no one said anything, all unwilling to face Naru's wrath.

Placing his drink down, Lin opened up his laptop. They always needed to record interviews, so that they could refer back to them if needed. The Chinese man was the one who did the recording, because he typed the fastest.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning," said Isaiah, receiving a nod from Naru in response. "I'm not sure if you know, but I have homes in the majority of major cities on this planet. Where I go, depends on my work. I'm currently in Japan on business which could take anywhere from three months to five years to complete."

"How long have you been here for?" asked Naru.

"About a year," replied the older man. "I've stayed in this house many times in the past, but this is the first time something like this had occurred. At least, I believe so."

"Does Michael travel with you?"

"Ah, well that would depend. If it's like my current trip to this country, then yes, but if it's a vacation or short business trip, then no. Though it would do well for you to speak to him anyway, for he _has _experienced few things himself."

"And what exactly have _you_ experienced?"

As Naru posed this question, Mai suddenly glimpsed something out of the corner of her eye. It looked like a dark shape. But when she turned her head to look at it, there was nothing there. A look of confusion crossed her face. She knew she had just seen _something_. But _what_...? When Bou-san gave her a subtle nudge, she refocused on their client, but as soon as she did, that...thing from before returned.

It was just there, again only visible from the corner of her eye. Quickly, she looked over, and just like before, it was gone. She didn't understand it. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? Somehow, she didn't think so. There was definitely something in this house. Something bad.

Having been so lost in her thoughts, Mai didn't realize she had just missed most of what Isaiah had said. She refocused on him in time to hear him explain what had prompted him to call SPR in the first place.

"It was a friend of mine who opened my eyes to what was going on," he was saying. "She was staying over for the night, and she was...attacked."

"Attacked in what way?" questioned Naru taking a sip of tea.

Isaiah paused as if in thought. "It's difficult to explain," he said slowly. "It was very late, or perhaps early, if you will. I had some associates over for an evening gathering. My friend, Kazumi, wasn't feeling too well, so she was upstairs in my bedroom, resting. She would have been alone in there for hours, but nothing occurred until I too was asleep."

"Were the two of you in the same bed?"

"We were, yes," replied the blond, unabashed. "I was awakened to her thrashing about and crying out. At first, I assumed she was having a nightmare, something not uncommon for her."

"Kazumi-san gets lots of nightmares?" wondered Mai.

The man nodded in response, but said nothing to add to his previous comment.

"I'm assuming that what happened that night wasn't just a nightmare though," said John slowly.

"You're right. It wasn't. I simply _thought_ it was, for she was behaving in a similar fashion as to when she is trapped in one of those night terrors."

"But she was really being attacked?"

Isaiah's face darkened as the memory of said night returned to him. "...Yes. It was touching her in a very indecent manner, and likely would have gone further if I hadn't picked her up and carried her out of the house."

"How did you know what it was doing?"

"She told me. Once I realized that Kazumi was actually awake, I tried to get her to speak to me. I wanted to help her, but to do that I needed to know what was wrong. And that was when she told me." The blond man sighed. "She was very frightened, and has not stayed the night since."

"And that's why you called us?"

Once again Isaiah nodded. Placing his cup down, he folded his hands in his lap. "Despite what I was experiencing myself, I still did not believe in spirits. Kazumi, who has experienced other minor events in this house, wasn't exactly pleased with me when I continued to refuse..."

When Isaiah paused and looked out the window, the others exchanged a glance, but didn't say anything. The man obviously needed this moment, and though they didn't exactly understand, they gave it to him. It was about a minute later that Isaiah spoke again.

"My house is supposed to be a place where Kazumi can feel safe. She isn't supposed to be afraid while she is here with me. She already has enough fear in her life as it is..." He paused again, and looked at them. "I'm not all that concerned for myself," he told them solemnly. "It's Kazumi I care about. If my own home is no longer a place where she can be safe..."

Naru nodded once. "I understand."

**And that's it for this chapter. I only have two more chapters already written, and I'm nearly finished with the third, but I've no idea what'll happen beyond that at the moment. Exams are starting in a couple of days, so dunno when the next chapter'll be up. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yo. Sorry about the wait. I would've put this up earlier, but I had culminating, then exams, and then I just got lazy and was in more of a reading mood than a writing one. Anyway, thanks to all readers so far.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...**

Ten minutes later, Mai found herself sitting on a couch in a very large room that, for the time being, was to be their Base. Naru and Lin were conversing quietly, leaving the others to so as they pleased...temporarily of course. Naru would never allow them to run off half cocked.

Mai yawned and stretched, before refocusing on Bou-san and Ayako. The two were arguing about who knew what, and she and John were watching them in amusement. The monk and miko could be really silly sometimes.

When their argument suddenly changed from one topic to another, Mai rolled her eyes. They never had to worry about getting bored when Bou-san and Ayako started arguing.

Slumping down in her seat, Mai carefully examined Bou-san from beneath her lashes. She was getting confused when it came to the monk. She considered him her older brother, right? Just as she knew he considered her a younger sister.

Mai sighed inwardly. Sometimes she really wished he didn't see her as a sister. She didn't _want_ to be seen as a little sister. Actually, she didn't know _what_ she wanted. She was seeing him in a way she hadn't really seen him before, but at the same time, these thoughts weren't exactly...new.

Even when she'd been completely obsessed with Naru, the occasional odd thought about the monk used to sneak up on her. Obviously being more attracted to her boss at the time, she'd been more concerned with that than anything else, but now...now she wasn't sure.

She didn't like Naru any more, love Naru any more. At least, she didn't think so. But with no more Naru to think about, there was nothing left in the way to distract her from her rather confusing, but not so innocent feelings for a certain monk who just happened to be in a band. Her favourite band actually, now that she'd bothered giving them a listen.

"Guys, listen up, because I'm only going to say this once," snapped Naru suddenly.

Everyone immediately fell silent, knowing that it was time for work.

"Yasuhara-san will be doing some research from home. It will be on the usual. You know how it works."

They nodded to show that they were listening, silently allowing him to go on. After making sure that they were indeed listening, Naru continued.

"Matsuzaki-san and John, I want you to conduct a walkthrough of the property. Take a MEL Meter with you and note down the base readings in every, yes e_very_ room." Ignoring John's polite stare and Ayako's indignant sputters, he went on. "Takigawa-san, Mai, set up equipment in the locations I've specified on this list. We don't have enough cameras or mics for every room, so you lot will have to make continuous trips to verify both EMF and temperature." He watched them all nod, then frowned. "Well, what are you all waiting for!?"

The four immediately jumped to their feet, gathered what they needed, and practically flew out of the Base. Naru seemed really pissy today, probably due to the fact that since Masako wasn't with them, he couldn't shag her. The group knew that all Naru and Masako really did when they were together was have sex. Even Lin was aware of it, considering his office was right next to his ward's, and that Masako wasn't exactly...quiet.

It was with deep sighs that the group split up in their teams in the hallway outside the Base. With the house they were in being so big, just doing simple jobs was going to be such a drag.

"You alright, Mai?"

Mai looked at the monk, blinking in an almost owlish way. "I'm fine," she told him. "Why?"

Bou-san shrugged. "Nothing, it's just that you seemed a little distracted earlier. While we were talking to Isaiah? You kept looking around."

"Oh, right." She hesitated slightly, wondering if she should confess her concerns. After a moment, she decided she should. It never mattered what she said. Bou-san always believed her without question.

Mai began to explain what she'd both seen and felt in the parlour.

Bou-san did exactly what Mai had expected him to. He simply listened to her quietly, not interrupting her for anything. His face betrayed nothing, but his eyes remained trained on her. He didn't speak at all until she had finished.

"I see..." said the monk slowly. "And you feel as if this thing is bad...?"

Slowly, Mai nodded. "Un. I don't know why though. And I couldn't get a direct look at it either. Every time I looked, it would vanish, but when I looked away, it would reappear."

Now Bou-san nodded, silently showing that he was listening. Finally, he said, "You know you're going to have to tell Naru-bou this, right?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I know." She sighed. Mai didn't really like dealing with Naru much any more. Not after he had rejected her. Not when Masako flaunted her relationship with Naru in her face.

For the next little while, neither Bou-san nor Mai knew what to say. Their silence was not exactly awkward, but _was_ a little strained. They continued with their set up, only speaking to confirm camera angles with Lin over the walkie.

It was a few minutes later that Mai suddenly began to feel faint. Surprised, she stopped and placed a hand on the wall when she felt like her knees were going to give out. Trying to regulate her breathing, she realized that Bou-san hadn't noticed anything yet. He was still walking down the hallway.

"Bou-san..." She felt her eyelids begin to droop as she watched the monk glance over his shoulder, watched him rush towards her. A pair of strong arms circled around her body, and Mai knew no more...

**And that's it for this chapter. I only have one more actually written down, but that's it, so updates will be even slower after that. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yo. Well, sorry about the wait. My depression's been rather...annoying for the past little while, so... Anyway, this chapter has trigger warnings, so be cautious. Don't worry, nothing overly descriptive. Thanks to all readers so far, and anyone who reviewed. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...**

_It was dark and cold, and Mai found that she was in a lot of pain. She was afraid, but wasn't quite sure why. _Focus, _she told herself. _Use your senses. Just like you were taught. _She was laying on something hard, a mattress perhaps, but she couldn't feel any sort of sheets or blankets over or even under her._

_She seemed to be in a bedroom, and could see a sliver of moonlight peeking through a curtained window. Her mouth was very dry, almost as if she were dehydrated, which she also didn't understand._

_She could hear a soft rustling, it sounded kind of like leaves blowing in a breeze. And what was it that she could smell? Food? There was chicken...and rice. But why was she so hungry? Why did she feel like she hadn't eaten for days?_

_Mai didn't understand what was going on. Was this really one of _those_ dreams? It didn't really feel like one, but at the same time, felt exactly like one. But if she really _was_ in the Astral Plane right ow, then where was Gene?_

_The girl felt herself freeze when the loud booming of footsteps sounded from a little ways off, but how she immediately knew they were footsteps, she didn't know. She did however, find herself paralyzed with fear. Fear that she, Mai, did not understand._

_She heard a creaking sound, as if a door were being opened, and saw a large shadow moving nearby. Because of the darkness, she was unable to make out any detail, but her fear increased considerably._

_She could hear breathing now; loud, harsh, unsteady, and could smell alcohol. Then there was a rustling, a shifting on material, of clothes. She felt hands, large, rough hands, pushing and pulling at _her_ clothes. Panic set in._

This isn't right! This is _not_ right! _Mai bean to struggle, hard, desperate to awaken, for this dream to end. She felt one of those large hands settle over her hips, pushing her down, holding her down. The sweet, sickly smell came closer..._

_"No!"_

"Mai!"

Mai blinked and found herself in a large, dimly lit room. She was in a bed big enough for at least five people, laying on the softest sheets she'd ever felt, and Bou-san was seated at the foot of it, worry evident on his face. Mai sat up quickly as she saw him, and releasing a sob of relief, vaulted into his arms.

And then she cried.

Bou-san was quite surprised, to say the least. He hadn't expected the girl, young woman now, actually, to suddenly burst into tears like that. But he held her tightly, silently stroking her hair. He didn't know what was wrong, but he had a feeling it had something to do with the dream she had just been having.

Though he wasn't positive, he was pretty sure she was right. There had been distress on her face, even in the midst of sleep. It wasn't too long after that, that she had begun to thrash around. It was then that he had decided that perhaps it would be best for her to wake up. He had tried to awaken her the way he had seen Ayako do, but no matter what he did, nothing had worked.

She had cried out then. A sudden, desperate 'no' that had him calling out her name. Luckily, that had worked. Mai was evidently very frightened, and he didn't want to think about what she may have gone through in that dream if she hadn't woken up.

Bou-san wasn't sure about what he should say to Mai as he sat there holding her. She was clearly upset, but... "Mai, what happened?" he asked finally.

The girl seemed to hesitate for a moment. "It was just a nightmare," she said softly after a moment.

"Do you think it was related to our case?"

"...No, I don't think so." She really wasn't sure as to how her dream would have had anything to so with their current case. It had seemed so...random.

"Hmm..." Bou-san absently ran a hand down the girl's spine as he fell into thought. He felt her arch into his touch, but he didn't really notice.

Mai however, _did_ notice, and she couldn't help but react to the motion. She was a little surprised to find that she was still clinging to the monk, and that he hadn't yet let her go. _But,_ she thought, leaning into him a little more, _if he doesn't mind, then I definitely don't..._

So focused on his thoughts, Bou-san didn't even notice Mai lean into him, even though he unconsciously tightened his hold on her. _If Mai's dream had nothing to do with the case, then why did she pass out like that? That's something that happens when Gene calls her over into the Astral Plane. But if that's not what happened this time... Well, I guess she could be lying, or maybe the dream _is _connected with the case and she just doesn't realize it right now. _

Bou-san knew he should ask Mai about what she had dreamed about, in case it really _did_ have something to do with their case, but he found that he was unable to ask her. Every time he tried, he remembered the fear on Mai's face and stopped. He did not want to be the one to bring that fear back onto her beautiful face...

**And that's it. This is the last chapter that I have already written, but I'm nearly done the next one and have a basic idea for the one after that. Of course, with me being me, who knows how long it'll actually take. Anyway, looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yo. Sorry about the wait, as usual. I wanted to finish writing the next chapter before posting this one, but I'm not even half finished that yet. Most of this chapter's relaxed-setting up for the end and the next chapter. Thanks to all readers and anyone who reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...**

It was quite a while later that Bou-san and Mai finally broke apart. Mai had calmed down, forcing herself to push the dream-the nightmare, to the back of her mind. While the two attempted to find their way back to the Base, Mai spoke.

"I'm sorry that you had to do the set up by yourself," she muttered, looking at her feet, clearly worried that the monk was upset with her.

"Relax Mai," said Bou-san with a smile. "Don't beat yourself up over something you can't control. You didn't leave me hanging with the set up or anything. I can handle that much."

"Yeah, I know, but still..."

Ayako rushed over to them as soon as they entered the room. "Mai! Are you alright? Come here, sit down." And she refused to listen to a word anyone had to say until Mai had indeed taken a seat. The doctor bustled around the girl, trying to make sure she was okay. "What happened?"

Leaning back in her seat, Mai closed her eyes. For some reason, she didn't want to see everyone staring at her right now. She first told them about what had taken place in the parlour, when they had been with their client, Isaiah. After that, she told them how she had felt in that hallway, but she didn't say a word about the dream she had just had.

She noticed Bou-san glance over at her when she stopped speaking, but was pleased when he didn't say anything. She really didn't think her dream was connected to the case. She figured it was, well, just a dream-a nightmare. But she did wonder _why_ she had dreamed about something like that. Something so dark, so...wrong.

As expected, Naru wasn't too pleased that this information had been withheld from him. "Takigawa-san, John, set a camera up in that parlour. Mai, tea. Matsuzaki-san will accompany you." He began to ignore them immediately after that and began taking down some notes.

The four the boss had addressed got up and left the Base together before splitting up. Bou-san and John headed off to try and find that one parlour, while Mai and Ayako attempted to locate a kitchen. Isaiah had told them that they were free to use anything in the kitchens, but they could easily call for Michael if they needed something. Naru had declined the latter offer. Mai figured it was because he wanted her to do more work.

As they walked, Ayako began to speak. "Mai...you trust me, right?"

The girl blinked. "Of course I do!" She wondered why Ayako was even asking. How could she _not_ trust her-trust anyone from the team-after everything they had gone through together?

"Then tell me what _really_ happened when you passed out." They had stopped walking, and Mai simply stared at her, surprised. "I know you, Mai. You don't just fall unconscious for no reason. Not to mention Takigawa looked more worried than ever. _Something_ must have happened!"

At first, Mai had no idea what to say. This thing wasn't really about trust. But she knew Ayako wasn't going to lay off like Bou-san had, so she finally told the woman about the dream, albeit, a little hesitantly. It wasn't easy to talk about after all.

Ayako listened silently, but looked very surprised. "And you feel this has nothing to do with the case?" she asked slowly, once the girl had finished speaking.

Mai just shrugged. "I don't know."

"It _does_ seem out of place..." muttered the woman, clearly in thought.

Finally finding a kitchen, Mai quickly located what she needed to make tea. Remaining silent, Ayako watched the girl closely, checking for any signs of distress. The dream Mai had had wasn't a very...friendly one, after all. But Mai seemed alright, and Ayako knew they had Takigawa to thank for that.

"Finished!" exclaimed Mai suddenly. Pouring out the tea, Mai set the tray. She picked it up. "Should we head back?"

The woman nodded. "Let's go. Do you want a hand with that tray?"

"No thanks, I'm fine." The two left the expansive kitchen and began attempting to find the Base again. They chatted animatedly while they walked, neither mentioning the case or Mai's dream.

"So Mai," said Ayako with a smirk, "anyone...special in your life yet?" She knew there was a chance that the teen could get very upset, considering Naru and all, but there was also the possibility that she was over Naru and now had her sights set on another boy. When Mai blushed, Ayako grinned. "Oooh! Come on, who is he? I need details!"

The girl's blush only intensified. "T-there's nothing going on! W-we're just friends!"

"Please. Don't give me that!" huffed the miko, but when Mai didn't waver, she decided to let it slide. For now...

When they _finally_ found the Base again, the two females saw that the monk and priest had already returned. Ayako gratefully sat down, while Mai served the tea. The group, minus Naru and Lin, fell into chatter once more as they waited for further instructions.

It came as a surprise to everyone when John abruptly stopped talking, cutting off mid-sentence. He had an unidentifiable look on his face, and after what seemed to be a brief internal struggle, one of his hands came up to grip the rosary around his neck, while he murmured words the others were unable to decipher.

A moment later, he stopped, the look vanishing, leaving the priest looking a little breathless, but alright. Everyone other than Naru seemed to be focused on him, multiple looks of confusion etched onto their faces.

"John? What is it? Are you alright?" questioned Ayako, doctor mode kicking in. She was already half out of her seat, seemingly intent on checking him over.

"I'm fine, Matsuzaki-san. Please don't worry," replied John. "It was merely a feeble attempt at possession."

"...WHAT!?"

**And that's it for now. I've got maybe, a quarter of the next chapter done, so dunno when it'll be up. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yo. The Internet was out all day, so I ended up actually getting some writing done. ...I sort of feel like nothing happens in this chapter though. Oh well, just deal with it. Thank you to all readers so far!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.**

"Please relax," repeated John. "Everything is fine now. The entity made the mistake of attempting to take over the body of a priest."

"How powerful is it, John?" asked Bou-san with half a glance at Mai.

John seemed to think for a moment, as if he were trying to decide what words to use. "It's not as strong as you're thinking it is," he said finally. "I won't deny it's powerful however-it could possibly have succeeded at the possession if I were not who I am, but it is still merely a human spirit, and they have limited power."

Naru paused in his writing, and then continued, likely adding in what John had just said, to his notes. The group sipped at their tea in silence for a long moment. That silence was broken abruptly when an alarm suddenly went off and Lin twisted around in his seat to focus on the monitors.

The Chinese man typed rapidly and then, without turning away from the screens said, "The temperature in Mr Cross' office has just dropped ten degrees."

"Is he currently in his office, Lin?" asked Naru.

"He is, yes. Though he does not seem to have noticed anything amiss."

Naru frowned and briefly fell into thought. "Takigawa-san, Mai, go check on him," he commanded suddenly.

Said two exchanged a shrug and were in the doorway, when John suddenly claimed that he wanted to go with them, just in case. If the entity had attempted to possess him, it could do the same to the others as well. The young boss seemed to agree, for though he didn't say anything, he _did_ incline his head at the priest's request.

Mai, Bou-san, and John left the room together, all trying to recall where the staircase was. They needed them because their client's office was up on the floor above. Why exactly did this house have to be so big anyway? It took the three a couple of minutes to find the stairs, and by the time they made it to Isaiah's office, at least five precious minutes had already passed. Having forgotten to grab a walkie in their haste, they had no way of knowing if anything else had occurred in the room.

Mai knocked on the closed door, and the three entered the moment they were called in. Just like practically every other room in the home, the office was massive and tastefully decorated. The curtains were pulled back in here too, and it still seemed to be raining outside.

Isaiah didn't seem to mind the sound of the rain pounding against the window, as he sat there behind his desk, platinum hair tied back, sleeves rolled up, working diligently. He looked up at them as soon as they came to a halt. "Is something wrong?" he asked, placing down the folder in his hands.

"I don't think anything's _wrong_ per say," said Mai glancing around the large room, and noting where the camera was. "Lin-san was watching the monitors and noticed a pretty big temperature drop in here. You didn't seem to notice, but we thought we should make sure everything was okay. You know, just in case."

Isaiah frowned. "I see. I _did_ feel a chill, though I did not bother placing much thought into it."

"Getting any odd feelings in here, Mai?" asked Bou-san. He expected her to take her time and carefully think about her answer, and was therefore surprised when the girl replied immediately instead.

"Nope. Everything feels normal."

"I can second that," said John, nodding in agreement.

The monk shrugged, then looked back at their client. "Better safe than sorry, right? We apologize for bothering you."

Isaiah assured them that it was alright, and the three SPR workers left the large office. They had to find the Base again. Yeah, too bad they had no idea which direction it was in, beyond it being downstairs. Well, at least they had a starting point, right. ...Now where were those stairs again?

"-so then she puts him in a headlock!" exclaimed Mai. She was walking backwards, facing the other two, on the first floor of the massive home. They had managed to find the stairs to get back down, but hadn't yet been able to locate their headquarters. So while they wandered around, Mai recounted something that had taken place with her friends a while back. "Yeah, then he starts to fr-"

"Look out!"

Mai turned around. There was a thud, two cries of pain, and Mai found herself on the floor. Blinking rapidly and rubbing her temple, she looked up-only to see another girl across her in the same position as she was, rubbing her own forehead.

Mind working slower than usual, Mai took in the other girl's appearance, absently noting they were likely around the same age. And then she realized what had just happened.

"I'm so sorry!" exclaimed both girls in unison. Blinking, they laughed together, both of them still on the polished floor.

"Up you get, Mai."

Mai looked up at Bou-san, who was holding his hand out. Smiling, she accepted the offered appendage, and was swiftly pulled to her feet. A glance to the left showed that John had helped the other girl up.

"I'm really sorry," said Mai. "I should've been watching where I was going."

The other girl waved the apology off, amusement visible in her dark eyes. "I wasn't paying much attention either," she said, "so it's partly my fault as well."

Laughing, Mai agreed before introducing herself, the monk, and the priest.

The slightly shorter girl smiled and bowed. "My name is Kazumi Amane."

The three from SPR stared. _Kazumi_!?

**And yeah, that's it. You guys remember who Kazumi was supposed to be, right? She was mentioned before-chapter three, I think. Anyway, dunno when the next chapter will be up. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Yo. Apologies for the wait. I literally wrote this chapter in three hours, while I was playing Roxas' bit in KH2, and writing during all the cutscenes.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters. I do, however, own Isaiah and Kazumi, and Michael.**

_Kazumi!?_

A loud clap of thunder followed this realization, and nineteen year old Kazumi Amane blinked in, what seemed to be confusion. "Um, is something wrong?" she asked curiously.

"I believe you are the Kazumi that Mr Cross was speaking of?" voiced John. "The one who was attacked?"

The girl inclined her head. "That would be me, yes," she replied simply. "Isaiah gave me a call just a little while ago, informing me that SPR had arrived to investigate, and would likely wish to speak to me."

"He was right about that," said Mai. "You should come to the Base with us, so we can document your statement and everything."

Kazumi nodded. "All right. Lead the way."

"Er-"

"...Are you lost?" Three sheepish looks was all she got in response, and she couldn't help the light laugh that left her at the sight. "Don't worry about it. I assure you even I, after all these months, still find myself in rooms I've never been in before, and unable to find ones I know I was in." She smiled. "Why don't you describe the room you were in to me? Maybe I know which one it is."

Bou-san watched, barely listening as Mai did just that. He was busy examining Kazumi. There was something strange about her. It wasn't her small stature, her long black hair, or her equally dark eyes. And it wasn't her simple blue jeans, tee-shirt, or black cardigan. No, it wasn't her appearance that was odd. It was something else-he just wasn't sure what.

Luckily, Kazumi _did_ know where the Base was, and pointed out the many paintings on the walls, claiming they were the best way to keep track of where they were in the...house. The other three took those words to heart though, being sure to note which paintings were near the Base. This would definitely make things easier for them...

When they reached the others, Mai quickly did introductions, and Lin brought out his laptop once more, pulling up the document where he had noted Isaiah's statement, so he could add Kazumi's to it as well, mainly for simplicity's sake.

"If you could please start at the beginning?"

The girl nodded. "I'd never experienced anything paranormal until just a few months ago," she began. "It was hardly my first time here, so I was quite surprised the first time something happened." She paused as if gathering her thoughts. "In the beginning, the occurrences were small things that could easily be explained away."

"Such as?" prompted Naru.

"I would always feel as if I was being watched, or my belongings, like my keys or something, would disappear, showing up in strange places, like in an oven to a kitchen I'd never been in, or on top of a bookshelf I could never reach." She sighed softly. "Isaiah never had to deal with anything like that and didn't believe me, so, at first, I thought maybe I was losing my mind."

"At first?"

"Un. It turns out Michael was experiencing some of the same things I was, only less frequently."

"When did all of this begin?" questioned Naru, eyes narrowed.

"Last winter," replied Kazumi. "January, I think."

"And your most recent experience?"

"Two weeks ago."

"This was when you were attacked?"

The dark haired girl crossed her arms over her chest, eyes darkening as a shadow fell over her face. "...Yes."

Bou-san, who was focusing intently, was surprised by the sudden stance Kazumi had taken up. She was clearly uncomfortable talking about this attack. Distancing herself by bringing her arms up the way she had only proved it. The man recognized the position well, and the reasoning behind it. Too well, in fact...

"What happened that night?" asked Naru.

Kazumi seemed to hesitate for a moment. "I'd spent most of the day here," she said finally, "which is pretty normal. Isaiah had guests over for dinner that evening and, even though I'd been fine all day, I remember I suddenly started feeling sick. I had a fever, apparently, and my head was killing me. It wouldn't have been smart for me to go home, so I went upstairs to take a nap."

"Mr Cross claims to have been with you during the attack," stated Lin, pausing in his typing, recalling what their client had said mere hours previously.

The girl nodded. "He was. It was the middle of the night when it happened, so he'd already come to bed by this point." She paused and took a noticeably deep breath. "I've always been a really light sleeper, so I always wake up at the slightest noise or touch. That night, I remember waking up abruptly, feeling hands on me."

Naru raised a brow. "You were in bed with Mr Cross." He was clearly wondering why Kazumi didn't seem to realize that the man, who had been in bed with her, hadn't been the one touching her.

Kazumi inclined her head. "Yes, I know. The hands didn't belong to Isaiah. I've gotten used to his touch, so it doesn't bother me, even in my sleep. These hands...they weren't his. I'm positive," she said firmly.

"And what were these hands doing? Where were they touching you?"

"...My chest," replied the dark eyed girl after a brief pause.

Looking closer, the monk saw that Kazumi seemed even more uncomfortable now, face paler than when they had begun. She went on speaking though, and he silently commended her for it.

"And it wasn't just a slight touch or anything either. It felt as if it were groping me."

Ayako cringed. She'd met more than one touchy-feely guy, so she knew just how uncomfortable that could be for a girl, especially when you were still a teenager.

"And did this...groping ever change to something else?"

"Luckily, no. I started thrashing around, fighting against the hands, and I suppose I ended up waking Isaiah up, because the next thing I remember is him hovering over me, trying to figure out what was wrong. But then-" she broke off, took a shaky breath, then went on. "The hands started moving lower, and I was finally able to tell him what was happening. I still wasn't able to move though, so he literally ended up picking me up and carrying me out of the house, at which point the other hands, the ones that weren't Isaiah's vanished." She sighed softly. "I've yet to stay here another night. I haven't even fallen asleep here since..."

Lin finished typing, and the room filled with silence, the beating rain the only audible sound to be heard. Naru had clearly fallen into thought, and the others were exchanging glances. Bou-san however, was still focused on Kazumi. Something she had said was bugging him.

_'I've gotten used to his touch, so it doesn't bother me, even in my sleep.' _She had said that a few minutes ago, and the monk had yet to put it out of his mind. There was something about that statement that was just so..._wrong_ to him. Bou-san rubbed at his brow in irritation, unable to figure it out, and it was a sudden nudge to his side that pulled him out of his thoughts.

Blinking, he looked down to his right. "Mai?"

The girl peered up at him, concern in her brown eyes. "Are you okay?" It was weird to see the man looking so serious, and she'd quickly become worried that something was wrong.

But he just smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair playfully. "I'm fine, Jou-chan, relax."

And though Mai nodded, she didn't believe him at all. Not one bit. He was hiding something. It was obvious to her for some reason, even though no one else seemed to notice anything.

"Spooky?"

Everyone looked round, finding Isaiah standing in the doorway. The concern in his blue eyes mimicked Mai's own worry, though it was directed at someone else.

"You've already told them? Are you all right?"

Kazumi nodded, and then shrugged, getting to her feet and approaching the much taller man, who dragged his fingers though her hair, expression softening. He didn't seem to believe her, but inclined his head anyway.

"Before you go, Amane-san," said Naru.

"Yes?"

"Do you have any idea as to who this spirit may be?"

The girl frowned in thought. "I'm sorry, but no, I don't." And she seemed genuinely apologetic.

Isaiah, seeing that they were done here, thanked them and guided Kazumi away.

As the two left the room, Bou-san couldn't help but compare what he had just witnessed, with what had occurred between himself and Mai a moment ago. The similarities had been quite strange.

Sighing softly, he couldn't help but wonder if he and Mai would ever have what Kazumi and Isaiah did. Would he ever be fortunate enough to allow himself to open up to someone? To trust someone?

**And that's it for now. Like I said in the beginning, I wrote this in like, three hours, so forgive me if it isn't the best. I already know who the evil entity is, and why he's here, attacking who he is. It's just the extra stuff in between I'm having some trouble with. Anyway, looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


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